Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing"

It's a dazzling play and Tom Stoppard, a master of language is really on his game in this play (and if you've ever seen any of his works that's really saying something). Interesting and exceedingly smart guy, pops up talking about Wilde very memorably in Wilde Salome btw.

Irons was really something in the 80s - not to slight Close I mean they were both on their games from what I understand (I didn't see them do it) - but one of the things that sucks about this board is British actors have gotten reduced to DDL and Oldman and American actors - don't get me started.........for the UK on this board well Fiennes is an afterthought.......Irons is maybe a passing thought. But no English language actor competes with him in the 80s (only Depardieu exceeds him in world cinema in the 80s) - but also only DDL was that far ahead his peers for a stretch like Irons was in the 80s and his best work can stand with any British actor subsequent to him too.

You can learn volumes about acting by watching Irons from French Lieutenant's Woman-Damage.....and his Tony here is another chapter to that glorious run.

I read the original play of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead, it was really worth it.

Just read this, haven't seen it performed though. Great quick read, funny, perceptive on the ways we behave, react, evolve, and the ordeal of relationships, its performative practice and doubting and doubling....and of course the role of the artist and the seeming demand of having to echo their life into the work, the emotional blurring, the wracked potential....

Some of my fav lines --

"I take my hat off to you, coming home with Rembrandt place mats for your mother. It's those little touches that lift adultery out of the moral arena and make it a matter of style."

"Having children is so unsmart. Endless dialogue about acne."

"I don't like artists. I like singles." (talking about music....right?)

"There's something scary about stupidity made coherent. I can deal with idiots, and I can deal with sensible argument, but I don't know how to deal with you."

and Henry has a few really terrific monologues later in the play. It says a lot that the Henry character is one of the rare multiple character Tony wins. Look at this company: George from Virginia Woolf?, James Sr from Long Day's Journey into Night, Prior from AiA, and Troy from Fences.

@tyler Thanks for tagging me! I feel like I'm missing on so much great acting 'cause plays aren't usually avaliable to watch on video, and I don't live anywhere near Broadway nor West End, wish they had one staging on tape at least ): But what a duo, Close and Irons